Solid milk and method for manufacturing thereof

Abstract

A solid milk combining sufficient strength with sufficient solubility can be obtained basically by compacting and molding only powdered milk as an ingredient under a condition where porosity and free fat content thereof are controlled within fixed ranges and then humidifying and drying to produce a solid milk with a porosity of 30% to 50%. The solid milk has a moisture content of 1 wt % to 4 wt %.

1 . Solid milk with a porosity of 30% to 50%, comprising 0.5 wt % to 4 wt % of free fat, and wherein total fat including said free fat is 5 wt % or higher, wherein the solid milk is manufactured by a method comprising, in the following order:
 a compacting process of compacting powdered milk and obtaining a solid compacted body of powdered milk;   a humidifying process of wetting the compacted body of powdered milk obtained in said compacting process after the compactin process; and   a drying process of drying the compacted body of powdered milk humidified in said humidification process after the humidifying process,   wherein an amount of moisture added to the compacted body of powdered milk in the humidifying process is 0.5% to 3%,   wherein the content of free fat in the compacted body of powdered milk in the drying process is 0.5 wt % to 4 wt %,   and wherein the powdered milk used in said compacting process has a total fat content of 5 wt % or higher.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The solid milk according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid milk has a moisture content of 1 wt % to 4 wt %. 
     
     
         5 . The solid milk according to  claim 1 , having a volume of 1 cm 3  to 50 cm 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The solid milk according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid milk has a homogeneous composition. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The solid milk according to  claim 1 , wherein, when a piece of solid milk is placed in 100 mL of water at 50° C. and shaken at a rate of 1.5 cycles/sec and an amplitude of 30 cm, a required time to dissolve the solid milk completely is 5 sec to 180 sec. 
     
     
         9 . The solid milk according to  claim 1 , wherein a force causing fracture when a load is applied in the direction in which the surface area of the fracture surface of a sample becomes minimal is 30 N to 300 N. 
     
     
         10 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . Solid milk prepared by a method comprising, in the following order:
 a compacting process of compacting powdered milk and obtaining a solid compacted body of powdered milk;   a humidifying process of wetting the compacted body of powdered milk obtained in said compacting process; and   a drying process of drying the compacted body of powdered milk humidified in said humidification process,
 wherein an amount of moisture added to the compacted body of powdered milk in the humidifying process is 0.5% to 3%, 
 wherein the content of free fat in the compacted body of powdered milk in the drying process is 0.5 wt % to 4 wt %, and 
 wherein the powdered milk used in said compacting process has a total fat content of 5 wt % or higher. 
   
     
     
         19 . The solid milk of  claim 18 , wherein substantially no additives are added to the ingredient in said compacting process. 
     
     
         20 . The solid milk of  claim 18 , wherein the compacting force is controlled in said compacting process so that the porosity of the compacted body of powdered milk becomes 30% to 50%. 
     
     
         21 . The solid milk of  claim 18 , wherein the compacting force for compacting the powdered milk in said compacting process is 1 MPa to 15 MPa. 
     
     
         22 . The solid milk of  claim 18 , wherein in said drying process, the moisture content of the solid milk is controlled to be no more than 1% higher or lower than the moisture content of the powdered milk used as the ingredient.